Report
TheVardellReport
Northern Mahaska Specialty Care
Skilled nursing facility and nursing facility
2401 Crestview Drive
Oskaloosa, IA 52577
Report
← Northern Mahaska Specialty Care, free profile
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The Vardell Report.Northern Mahaska Specialty Care
The deeper story, beautifully organized. Available records, historical context, and questions worth asking.
- Provider Category
- Nursing home
- Location
- Oskaloosa, IA
- Record Period
- 2023–2025
- Source Documents
- 8
This report is free. Vardell does not certify, grade or endorse; it shows what the record documents.
The Essentials
Summary
Across 6 inspections from August 2023 to November 2025, state surveyors documented 10 findings at Northern Mahaska Specialty Care; 10 have a recorded correction; CMS lists 1 enforcement action in the window.
- Inspections
- 6
- 2023–2025, standard and complaint
- Findings
- 10
- Deficiencies cited by state inspectors
- Corrected
- 10
- Of 10 findings, with a recorded correction date
- Penalties
- 1
- 1 fine; payment not published
Findings by Year
- Findings
- Of which, actual harm (level G or above)
* Partial year, through October 1, 2026.
| Year | Inspections | Findings | Of which, actual harm (level G or above) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What the Record Shows
- 10 of 10 findings have a recorded correction date.
- CMS lists 1 enforcement action in the window: 1 fine of $39,033, its payment not published.
- 3 visits in this window included a complaint investigation. CMS publishes what a complaint investigation cited, not what the complaint alleged.
- The latest standard inspection, November 24, 2025, recorded 4 findings (most serious: Level E).
What to Ask About
Report at a Glance
- Facility
- Northern Mahaska Specialty Care
- Address
- 2401 Crestview Drive, Oskaloosa, IA 52577
- CMS Certification Number
- 165274
- Provider Type
- Skilled nursing facility and nursing facility
- Certified Beds
- 79
- Ownership
- Non profit - Corporation
- Record Window
- August 30, 2023 to October 1, 2026
Chronology
Inspection History
Every inspection in the record window, newest first. A finding is a deficiency an inspector cited. CMS publishes what a complaint investigation cited, not what the complaint alleged.
- 2025
Standard health inspection
4 findings
- F803Ensure menus must meet the nutritional needs of residents, be prepared in advance, be followed, be updated, be reviewed by dietician, and meet the needs of the resident.Level ENo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Dec 1, 2025
- F880Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.Level ENo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Dec 1, 2025
- F656Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Dec 1, 2025
- F726Ensure that nurses and nurse aides have the appropriate competencies to care for every resident in a way that maximizes each resident's well being.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Dec 1, 2025
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
- 2025
Complaint investigation
1 finding
- F609Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Feb 27, 2025
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
- 2024
Standard health inspection
No findings
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
- 2024
Complaint investigation
1 finding
- F689Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.Level JImmediate jeopardyCorrected Jul 7, 2024
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
- 2023
Complaint investigation
1 finding
- F584Honor the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and supports for daily living safely.Level ENo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Dec 22, 2023
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
- 2023
Standard health inspection
3 findings
- F725Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.Level ENo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Sep 20, 2023
- F550Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Sep 20, 2023
- F689Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.Level DNo actual harm, potential for moreCorrected Sep 20, 2023
Enforcement Action
Civil money penalty, $39,033 imposed July 6, 2024. CMS publishes the fine, not whether it has been paid. CMS does not tie a penalty to a survey; listed with the standard health inspection of August 30, 2023, the nearest before the penalty date.
Source: Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Severity levels follow the CMS scope and severity grid. A–C: potential for minimal harm. D–F: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm. G–I: actual harm. J–L: immediate jeopardy.
Context
Patterns Worth Examining
A repeated citation can merit attention, but context and corrective action must be reviewed before drawing a conclusion.
- 1
Accident Hazards and Supervision, Cited in Two Inspections
Inspectors cited F689 in August 2023 and July 2024. This citation covers whether residents are protected from accident hazards and supervised closely enough to prevent accidents, including falls. The most serious of these was recorded at level J (immediate jeopardy). Each citation has a recorded correction, and a repeat after correction is worth a direct question.
232324242525F689 across all 6 inspections, oldest to newest
For Your Next Visit
Questions to Ask on Your Visit
Bring these to the tour. Each one comes from something in the record; the reason is under the question.
- 01
What changed in fall prevention and supervision after the last citation, and how do you check that it is still working?
Accident Hazards and Supervision: cited in two inspections, most seriously at level J.
- 02
How many nurses and aides are on each shift, including nights and weekends, for the unit we are considering?
Insufficient nursing staff was cited in August 2023.
- 03
What led to the 2024 fine, and has it been paid?
A $39,033 civil money penalty was imposed July 6, 2024. CMS publishes the fine, not whether it has been paid.
The Evidence
Sources and Coverage
Inspection results and penalties are published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services from surveys conducted by the Iowa state survey agency.
- Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Iowa state survey agency
Inspection Aug 30, 2023 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Iowa state survey agency
Inspection Dec 21, 2023 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Iowa state survey agency
Inspection Jul 6, 2024 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Iowa state survey agency
Inspection Oct 24, 2024 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Iowa state survey agency
Inspection Feb 26, 2025 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Health inspection results, as published by CMS (Health Deficiencies and Inspection Dates, Provider Data Catalog)
Iowa state survey agency
Inspection Nov 24, 2025 · Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Penalties, Provider Data CatalogView Dataset ↗
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
- Provider Information, Provider Data CatalogView Dataset ↗
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · 165274
Published Oct 1, 2026 · Retrieved Nov 1, 2026
Coverage
Record windowAugust 30, 2023 – October 1, 2026
- CMS publishes about three inspection cycles; inspections before August 2023 are not in this release.
- CMS refreshes these files monthly, after statements of deficiencies are processed, so an inspection from the last two months may not appear yet.
What This Report Cannot Tell You
- Complaints not investigated onsite
- Allegations screened out by the state before an onsite visit are not published.
- Complaint allegations
- CMS publishes the deficiencies a complaint survey cited, not the allegation itself.
- Facility-reported incidents
- Self-reported incidents appear only if they led to an inspection.
- Follow-up visits
- CMS's files list standard, complaint and infection control surveys, not revisits; a correction date is the one CMS records.
- Fire safety inspections
- Published by CMS separately and not included in this record yet.
- Staffing levels and ownership history
- Published by CMS separately and not included in this record.
- Whether fines were paid
- CMS publishes the fines imposed, not whether or when they were paid.
Historical coverage varies by agency and location. Missing records do not mean that no complaint or violation occurred.
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